Auctions America will lift the gavel on a rare, freshly restored 1963 Shelby 289 Cobra when its highly anticipated Fort Lauderdale sale returns to South Florida, March 14-16, 2014. Coming off the company’s most successful year ever in 2013, this first collector car auction of the 2014 season will feature more than 450 American and European classics and sports cars, Detroit muscle, hot rods and customs, catering to a broad range of automotive tastes and budgets.

With a well-established reputation as South Florida’s premier collector car auction, the Fort Lauderdale sale has always been highly successful—in 2013 the three-day event realized more than 17.5 million in sales with 74 percent of all lots sold. Top sale honors went to an iconic, concours-quality 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL “Gullwing” at an outstanding $880,000.

Going into its twelfth year in Fort Lauderdale, Auctions America anticipates another thriving sale for 2014 with early highlights including American classics like a 1930 Ford Model A Pickup (stock restored), a 1946 Chrysler Town and Country Convertible, and a 1936 Auburn 852 Supercharged Phaeton, along with European sports cars such as the 1972 Ferrari Dino 246, and muscle cars featuring a 1970 Boss 302 Mustang, a 1970 Chevelle Super Sport LS6, a 1968 Shelby GT350 Convertible, and a 1965 Shelby GT350.

“Over the years the South Florida area has developed its own car culture—it’s one of the hottest exotic markets in the world,” said Donnie Gold, President of Auctions America. “Whether you are an exotic car lover looking for something extra rare or an American car fanatic looking for a classic you can’t find elsewhere – the Fort Lauderdale auction has something for everyone.”

The auction, March 14-16, at the Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center is open to the public for a day rate of $10 or a weekend pass of $25. Children 12 and under will receive free admission. For those unable to attend the event in person, Auctions America offers a broad range of remote bidding options including Internet, absentee and telephone bidding, and the auction will stream live online at auctionsamerica.com, providing real-time coverage of the event.

Auctions America is currently inviting consignments for its 2014 Fort Lauderdale sale. For further information, to speak with an Auctions America car specialist, and to view a frequently updated list of entries, please visit

Given that it was the first race-ready vehicle ever produced by an American automaker, the Shelby GT 350 was an immediate hit. Each 2+2 Mustang fastback delivered by Ford to Shelby’s Los Angeles-area factory was extensively modified. Every GT 350 featured a K-code 289 cubic inch V-8 pushed to 306 horsepower, side-exiting exhausts, fiberglass hood with air scoop, and the rear seat was eliminated. A Ford top-loader four-speed manual transmission and a stiffened suspension rounded out the essential changes. For 1965, all Shelby GT 350s were painted Wimbledon White. At $4,584, the initial list price was steep, but Shelby had no problem selling 516 street-legal racecars in 1965, the first year of production for a legend in the making. Each GT 350 was designed and assembled with the intention of heading off to race tracks – which were soon dominated by the high-performance coupes.

Rarely are automobiles as sought-after and seemingly immune to market fluctuations as those given Carroll Shelby’s performance touch. The Shelby American Automobile Club’s World Registry keeps detailed records of each Shelby-modified Mustang made. The Shelby GT 350 represented here is a solid, documented example that was subject to an older restoration of quality. It remains in excellent, well-preserved condition. The car, (SFM5S260) was originally shipped to Koons Ford in Falls Church, Virginia in June 1965. The car was initially purchased by Dr. John Clift of Vienna, Virginia and has a well-established ownership record. The late Carroll Shelby signed the glovebox; a very nice personal touch for one of his creations. The Shelby has blue LeMans stripes and correctly styled Shelby Cragar wheels, including the spare. The Shelby being offered is an easily appreciated example that will not look out of place in any collection of significant performance cars or on any show field.

Few high performance cars homologated for road use have enjoyed the devoted following of the Shelby GT 350. In order to qualify for 1965 SCCA/B production competition, Carroll Shelby was required to produce at least 100 cars by February of that year – a deadline he met and later exceeded thanks to heavy demand for his high-performance modified Ford Mustangs.